Monday, December 22, 2014

Strolling the Boulevard...

Here we are, back on the streets in the Bay Area...

There were many amazing plants competing for the title of the "it" plant of this vacation, but I think the winner was the loquat, Eriobotrya japonica. While I saw a few Eriobotrya deflexa, the bronze loquat, most were the plain old, plain old, which to me is neither plain or old. Of course when they're growing behind a gorgeous agave it helps.

You should know by now I love a good poodle/cake/cloud prune. Of course the odd conical shape in the sidewalk (emerging from a red brick scalloped edged circle, no less) throws me a bit.

Still those are sweet.

I wanted to follow that pathway around back to see what there was to see...

I want to live in this neighborhood, love the houses.

Oh yes I do...and the gardens too...

*sigh*...

One of just a few Agave bovicornuta I've planted seen in the ground. It's a beauty.

Palms, yucca, grevillea, leucadendron...(oh my!)

What's not to love?

This photo almost became a post all on it's own. How amazing is this combination? So perfect.

Clearly they're happy together.

That's a lot of pups!

When I snapped this photo of the Grevillea 'Moonlight' (?) I didn't even see the hummingbird.

An unintentional capture that turned out pretty terrific!

I really am a Californian gardener at heart. I mean just look at those phormium!

And that. All that...

All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

29 comments:

  1. Where did you find these exactly? These are all very beautiful and go with the house architecture nicely. It sure has changed since when I lived there. I remember cineraria and daphne in winter neither of which I can grow down here near LA. But I'm very curious, what is that delightful ground cover over the rocks at the poodle dog tree house (pics 3,4 and5)?

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    1. Key Rte Blvd, just off Solano Ave in Albany...after visiting Flowerland I took a walk. As for the groundcover I wish I knew, I've got no idea.

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    2. Geez ... no wonder it looked more than sorta familiar, that's exactly where I lived in the late 1940s. Pomona and Solano; My backyard faced Key Route Blvd.; the Key Route was a streetcar line.

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    3. Juniperus procumbens 'nana'? It would seem logical with the other conifers.

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  2. Wow, this is the quintessential Berkeley/Oakland Hills neighborhood! I love the houses too. What street was this on?

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    1. See above ^ after you visit Flowerland you need to walk the neighborhood. That's where I found this one too:
      http://dangergarden.blogspot.com/2014/10/811-know-whats-below-call-before-you-dig.html

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  3. **sigh** I'm with you, Loree. A California gardener at heart.

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  4. It's funny how you often find surprises in garden pictures. That gray agave with the purple Pennisetum looks great. Why have I never thought of that? Now I just need to find a spot of a similar combo...

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    1. It's a very unlikely combo that just works so well! I hope you do find a place for it.

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  5. Just a random street, such great combinations that work only in that climate. Truly a special place to garden.

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    1. Someday maybe I'll get to experience it...

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  6. Beautiful! If only I could grow those plants in my garden...I think I may be a california gardener at heart too :)

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    1. Let's move and start a gardening commune!

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    2. My dream! A neighborhood of friends and gardeners!

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  7. I can feel the love. Your gardening style would simply blend in if you did it there....but here?...YOWZA.

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  8. What's not to love indeed Loree :) and so happy and excited for you and Andrew that you'll both have a California Christmas this year :))

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    1. Actually this was from our trip in September, I believe in stretching my posts way out!

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  9. Ok, maybe I lied a bit (to myself) when I said I wasn't that interested in agaves. Who can resist those big blue beauties? And those fabulous phormiums and anything proteaceous, and palms, and loquats, and...well, you get the idea. Oh to garden in the Bay Area.

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  10. Love the loquats and phormiums, but what really wins my heart are those grevilleas! So far I haven't found any here (Phoenix, AZ), but I can't help thinking they might survive all right. And that's a fantastic "accidental" hummingbird shot :))

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    1. Oh I wonder (grevilleas in Phoenix) I hope you get to find out.

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  11. That A. bovicornuta is stunning, as is the pennisetum/agave combo. Why don't my phormium look like that?! What do they want from me?! Oh and excellent shot of the hummingbird, how cool is that.

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    1. Good question (the phormium), once upon a time we had beauties like that in Portland. I miss those days...

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  12. What a great neighborhood, houses, gardens, everything!

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  13. Nice 'hood, when it has Agaves in it.

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  14. Love that! Great shots and love the hummingbird capture!!!! I love the Grevillea- is that red one the 'Long John'? Looks like it. They are all so cool. I love the combos they have. Thanks for the tour!

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